Means for repairing the felted heads of piano-hammers.



110.8%,141. 'PATENTED MAY 19, 1908 R. R. BODB. MEANS FOR REPAIRING THE PELTED HEADS 0P PIANO HAMMERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3, 1907.

WITNESSES: Y Y

A l/me rue: NORRIS PETERS'COR, WASHINGTON, n. c.

7% @MVEN UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT RUDLAND BODE, OF HONOLULU, TERRITORY OF HAWAII.

MEANS FOR REPAIRING THE FELTED HEADS OF PIANO-HAMMERS.

Application filed August 3, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT RUDLAND BODE, a British subject, residing at Honolulu,

Hawaii, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Repairing the Felted Heads of Piano-Hammers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in means for re airing the felted heads of piano hammers an has for its purpose the obviation of the disadvantages of the present methods of repicking or refelting worn or hardened hammers, which methods are now universally resorted to, although both tedious and expensive, when it is desired to reduce the metallic sound which is roduced by hardened or worn hammer heaifs.

My invention is founded upon the discovery which I have made, that a strip of suitable soft material, such as felt or rubber, when ap lied to such worn heads will act to restore t e original tonal qualities, and the invention, therefore, consists in such means for the purpose specified, and also consists in certain eculiarlties in the construction thereof w ereby the same may be most readily and easily applied to and removed from the head, all substantially as hereinafter de scribed and particularly pointed out in the subjoined clalms.

In the accom anying drawings I have shown several di erent modifications exemlifyin what I, at present, regard as the best form 0 the invention, and in said drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a worn hammer, having my repair strip applied thereto to restore the original and necessary elasticity and softness of the head. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one form of such repair stri Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a slig tly modified form thereof. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a repaired hammer, provided with the repair stri shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similar view 0 a repaired hammer provided with the re air strip shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 6 is a simi ar view of a repaired hammer provided with a slightly diiferentrepair stri he same characters of reference designate the same parts in the several views.

A designates a hammer of a piano action having the usual solid or ri id (wood) body and its head covered with fe t B. The striking portion of the head, as is well known, loses its elasticity, or becomes dead, causing the production of false or metallic tones.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Serial No. 386,904.

The present methods of correcting this consist of refelting or picking the head, both of which are expensive and the latter of which is only measurably and not completely beneficial. According to the present invention such dead or worn heads are repaired by a plying over the dead portions of the feIt thereof a stri C of suitable felt, rubber or other soft an flexible material. This stri C is drawn somewhat tightly over the heahl and secured. As this strip is to be a piled to the head without removal of the fe t therefrom, it not only must be soft and flexible but should be sufficiently thin to add little if any appreciably thickness to the head, as shown. It is considered to be very advantageous to provide for its ready and easy at tachment to and detachment from the head, and I have, therefore, in the .drawings illustrated several different means by which this important result may be accomplished.

In each of the means referred to, each end of the repair strip O is provided with a ointed projection which may be readily riven into the hammer and will serve to secure the repair strip securely and yet removably over the felted head of the hammer.

In the form of repair strip shown in Fig. 2, each end of the flexible body 0 thereof is provided with a metal binder d from the under surface of which a fastening pin c projects and is adapted to be driven through the felt B and into the hammer body A, as shown in Fig. 4. These binders may have serrations or projections, or be otherwise formed,

to secure them to the ends of the body 0, or they may be secured to the latter in any other suitable manner.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, each end of the body 0 of the repair strip is provided with a metal binder d, the upper wall of which has a fastening c struck therefrom and extended through the body a and through an opening formed in the lower wall of the binder, and adapted to be forced through the felted head of the hammer and into the body of the latter, as shown in Fig. 5.

In the form shown in Fig. 6, the repair strip is secured to the hammer by headed pins 6. In the illustration of this form the metal binders are omitted, but it is apparent that the body of this repair strip, 0, may have its edges provided with suitable metal binders, if desired.

I have found in practice that the means illustrated effectively restore to hammers the heads of which have become dead, the elasticity essential to the production of proper tone qualities, and it is obvious that these means may be readily applied, and renewed when required, by any person, and at a nominal expense, thus obviating, as already stated, the expense of refelting or repicking hammer head, which is a slow operationthat can be performed only by the skilled workman and entails a heavy expense.

Having thus described the invention what I believe to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the ordinary head of a piano hammer, said head having a rigid body and a covering of felt thereon; a repair layer of soft flexible material applied over the dead felt on the end of the head, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with the ordinary head of a piano hammer, said head having a rigid body and a covering of felt thereon; a repair layer of soft flexible material applied over the dead felt on the end of the head, and

means for attaching said repair layer removably to the head, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

3. The means herein described of repairing felted heads of piano hammers, which consists of a strip of soft, flexible material adapted to be superimposed on the dead strikmg portion of the head and having its ends provided with fastening pins by which it may be removably secured to the hammer.

4. The means herein described of repairing felted heads of piano hammers, which consists of a strip of soft, flexible material adapted to be superimposed on the dead striking portion of the head and having its ends provided with metal binders having pointed projections by which it may be removably secured to the hammer.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT RUDLAND BODE.

IVitnesses MIcHAEL R. JAMIEsoN, O. M. LINDSAY WAKE. 

